14. Chapter 14

According to record Ziva had found Victoria had died in 1891 which would have made her physically 24, not that I found that at all surprising. She had been buried in a cemetery that was used for criminals, which was also unsurprising. What had caused me to be shocked, and presumably Ziva’s reaction, was the fact that two days after she had been buried her grave had been robbed. That is to say her body was gone.

Ziva and I were surprised for two very different reasons. I’m sure she was shocked that someone had robbed the grave of a dead jewel thief who had nothing of value buried with her. I was amazed that she had endured the change in complete silence, and also thrilled because now there was the possibility that someone had access to her fingerprints. I knew that she had most likely dug herself out, but no one else did, and to the best of Gibbs’s knowledge none of the Cullens had been around in the 1800s.

Ziva and I made copies of the article and a few others we found afterwards that also detailed the robbery and subsequent killing of the graveyard’s caretaker and headed back to NCIS.

When we arrived we sat down at our desks for approximately twenty seconds before Gibbs entered the center of our team’s area, “What have we got?”

I decided to start, “Victoria Deveraux was responsible for more than a dozen robberies over a period of three years, all of which would have grossed her about 26 million dollars by today’s standards. She was finally caught in 1891 while attempting to steal a diamond and emerald necklace that had belonged to a wealthy heiress. She was hung two days later without a trial and her grave was robbed another couple of days later. Her body was never recovered, neither was anything she stole.”

“Sounds like someone wanted their jewelry back.” Tony said.

“Yeah, but why would they take the body, and for that matter why would they think she was buried with any of the jewels if she had been hung?” That came from McGee.

“What if it was treasure hunters,” Ziva asked, “They could have thought that she would have kept some kind of clue as to the whereabouts of the things she’d stolen.”

“My money is on the family,” I said, “She had to have someone she considered family and they could have come for her body after she was hung in order to rebury it somewhere they considered home.”

“Look,” said Gibbs, “All we need to know is that she was taken out of her grave. It doesn’t matter why because she’s dead now, so what I want to know is how her finger prints got on the body of my dead petty officer.” With that he walked out of the area, probably to speak with Abby or Ducky.

“Well, Hale could have planted the fingerprint and set his brother up.” Tony said.

“Yeah, but how would he find the body,” asked Ziva.

“He could have been a descendant of Deveraux.” McGee said.

“Oh come on McGee,” I started, “He doesn’t look anything like her. Let’s face it he’s blond with gold eyes and she was a green eyed red head.”

“Yeah, but those are both recessive traits.”

“So is blond hair and I don’t know all that many people with eyes that color do you?”

“No.” He sounded defeated.

I sighed, “I think the Cullen family has just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. I know Gibbs doesn’t like coincidences, but I think that’s what this must be.”

Ziva opened her mouth to say something, but Jasper entered the room at that moment, “Excuse me,” he said, “but Special Agent Gibbs told me to have Bella take me home now.” He looked at me expectantly while the rest of the team looked around a bit surprised.

“Sure, Mr. Hale, just let me grab my coat.” I turned to get my things, “I probably won’t be able to get back before six, do you guys think you’ll still be here?”

After getting three no’s I told them that I wouldn’t be returning that evening and they agreed to call me if Gibbs was on the war path, and Jasper and I left.

“So,” I said once we were in the car, “Why do I have the feeling that a certain someone used his special abilities to get Gibbs to let me drive him home?”

“Hey, if your boss was in a particularly agreeable and calm mood, which could just be the whim of God,” Jasper said innocently, “Besides you can take it as an apology for my wife getting her claws into you.”

I laughed, “Well, the clothes were all her, but the bag and shoes were your brother. Her claims he was trying to make up for lost time. I think he was just trying to spoil me.”

Jasper laughed and we continued our ride in comfortable silence. When we got to the Cullen house Edward was at the door waiting for me along with Alice who I guessed was waiting for Jasper. Apparently I was right because one second Jasper was standing next to me on the walk way and Alice was in the door and the next they were both gone and I was in Edward’s arms.

“How was your day?” he asked.

“Long,” I answered, “But it suddenly got better.”

“I’m very glad to hear that.”

“Why? I was referring to my romantic car ride home with Jasper.”

Edward growled playfully and I pulled his head down to kiss him. It was funny, I’d spent so much time idolizing Edward’s kiss that I’d been sure it could not live up to the hype I’d created in my mind. I was wrong, it was so much better than I remembered. And I didn’t know if it was just my weak human memory or if the old adage that absence makes the heart grow fonder was actually true.

While we were kissing Edward had run me up to his room, a fact I had failed to notice until he put me down on his floor.

“Do you have to go back to work?” He asked.

“Nope, I’m done for the day.”

“Good. I want you all to myself for the rest of the night.” He picked me back up and put me on his bed and lied down next to me.

“So,” I said, “How was your day?”

“Fine I spent the entire time missing you though.”

“Me too, but I did find out more about Victoria’s history. Apparently she made the change in silence.”

Edward considered that for a moment, “Well, I suppose it’s not unheard of, Carlisle did it.” We were silent for a while after that, simply enjoying each other’s company. I was almost asleep when he spoke again, “Do you have to go back to your apartment tonight?”

I sighed, “I should, but I don’t want to, and I don’t think I’m going to.” I snuggled closer to him, “I mean I think I have more clothing here than I do at my house.” He laughed at that and we went back to our comfortable silence, and even though it was only 6:30 I fell asleep in Edward’s arms.